The Van Trump Report

Agriculture

How the Devastating Turkey-Syria Earthquake Could Have Dramatic Geopolitical Impacts

Most have likely seen the heartbreaking news coming out of Turkey and Syria where two massive earthquakes have caused widespread destruction across the region. More than 40,000 people are included in the official death toll, which is likely to climb even higher in the weeks ahead as recovery efforts continue. Nearly 100,000 are injured and …

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Markets Will Be Closed Monday, but which President’s Birthday are we Celebrating?

Officially known as Washington’s Birthday (even though it isn’t actually on Washington’s birthday!), Presidents Day is an American federal holiday that takes place on the third Monday in February. This year, that is February 20th. There has long been some confusion as to which President is honored on this day, though, and the actual name …

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Lower Farm Income and Higher Production Expenses Forecast for 2023

After back-to-back years of robust growth, US farm profits are expected to drop substantially in 2023. Net farm income, a broad measure of profits, is forecast to decline nearly -16% from last year, while net cash income is expected to decrease more than -20%. While the declines are no doubt steep, the 2023 forecasts for …

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How an Illinois Farmer Helped Tame the West… “Barbed Wire”

When Americans talk about how the frontier was “tamed,” most are talking about the revolver and repeating rifle that helped settlers secure their territory. Some argue, however, that it was the invention of barbed wire that influenced people to settle in the vast, open spaces. With few trees and other fence-building materials, barbed wire is …

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New Innnovation Called “RipeFinder” Scans Avocado’s in Grocery Produce Aisles

Apeel Sciences is best known in the food space for its edible coatings used to keep fruits and vegetables fresher for longer. The company just announced a new innovation that can determine the ripeness of an avocado. The scanner, called “RipeFinder,” is designed to be placed in grocery stores, allowing shoppers to know the “ripeness …

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USDA Researchers Have Developed Naturally Fire-Resistant Cotton

Products made from naturally flame-resistant cotton could soon replace the toxic flame-retardants used today. Researchers with the United States Department of Agriculture have developed four cotton lines that naturally resist bursting into flames and even self-extinguish when exposed to fire.     Through genomic analysis of pre-existing cotton cultivars, study author Brian Condon and his …

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Latest Farm Bureau Survey Shows Drought Keeping a Grip on Farmers and Ranchers in the West

Many farmers and ranchers in the western half of the US continue to battle drought conditions, according to the fourth American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) drought survey. Importantly, AFBF says the geographic footprint of extreme drought has shifted between 2021 and 2022, with states in the Pacific Northwest like Washington and Idaho having relatively better …

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South American Weather Clouds Outlook for Global Soybean Supplies

South American soybean production is the subject of intense debate right now with Argentina’s crop withering under ongoing drought conditions while Brazil looks set to deliver a bin-buster. Many were already looking to Brazil’s bumper crop to offset a portion of Argentina’s shortfall but wet weather in some big production states is threatening to dent …

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